Scandal Less Ice Cream: Keto-Friendly Treat Or Misleading Myth?

Open Nature Scandal-less ice cream is a popular choice for those on the keto diet. The ice cream comes in a variety of flavours, including Cookie Dough, Cookie Butter, Chocolate Mocha Chip, and Sea Salt Caramel. A serving size of 0.67 cups contains 20 grams of total carbs, 3-2.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 100-110 calories. While the total carb count may be higher than ideal for those on a keto diet, it is still a tasty treat option for those looking to indulge while sticking to their diet.

Carb count

Ice cream, in its traditional form, is not keto-friendly due to its high sugar and carbohydrate content. However, there are now several keto-friendly ice cream options available, which typically substitute sugar with sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and erythritol, or natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit.

Open Nature Scandal-less ice cream is a keto-friendly option. A 0.67 cup serving of the Cookie Dough flavour contains 20g of total carbs, 3g of fat, 6g of protein, and 110 calories. The Cookie Butter flavour has similar nutritional values, with slightly lower fat content at 2.5g and 100 calories.

Other keto-friendly ice cream brands include Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. These brands typically have between 2 and 10 grams of net carbs per serving, making them a good choice for those watching their carb intake.

It's important to note that the definition of "net carbs" can vary, and some companies may abuse this term to make their products seem more keto-friendly than they are. When calculating net carbs, it's generally advisable to subtract only a handful of sweeteners, such as erythritol and allulose, from the total carb count.

For those who prefer to make their own ice cream, there are also recipes for keto-friendly ice cream available online, which typically use similar sugar substitutes to keep the carb count low.

Ingredients

The key ingredients in keto-friendly ice cream are those that are low in carbohydrates and sugars. The ice cream should also be high in fat, as this is desirable in the keto diet.

Heavy whipping cream is a good base, as it has less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per fluid ounce, and nearly 11 grams of fat.

Half-and-half is a better option than milk for thinning the ice cream, as it has just 3 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup and 3 carbs, while also providing 10 grams of fat.

Egg yolk, as used in French vanilla ice cream, is also keto-friendly, with less than a gram of carbohydrates and 4.5 grams of fat.

Gelatin is often used as a thickening agent and has few or no carbs, no sugar, and a significant amount of protein.

Sugar substitutes are used in keto ice cream to avoid high levels of sugar. These include erythritol, a zero-calorie sweetener, and monk fruit, a natural sweetener made from a small round fruit native to China.

Other ingredients used to create a creamy texture and mouthfeel include chicory root, guar gum, and acacia gum. Chicory root adds fibre, which helps to regulate blood sugar, while guar gum and acacia gum are derived from guar beans and the acacia tree, and contain soluble fibre, which helps to lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

Some keto ice cream brands also use sugar alcohols like xylitol and maltitol syrup, which have about half the calories of sugar.

It's important to note that while these ingredients are keto-friendly, the overall carb count and nutritional profile of the ice cream should be considered when determining if it fits within a keto diet.

Keto-friendly alternatives

While Scandal-less ice cream is not keto-friendly, there are plenty of keto-friendly alternatives available in the market.

Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel are some of the popular keto-friendly ice cream brands. These manufacturers use sugar substitutes such as sugar alcohols (xylitol and erythritol), stevia, and monk fruit to sweeten their ice cream without adding carbs.

For example, Rebel ice cream is designed specifically for people on the keto diet. It is made with cream, high-fat ingredients, erythritol, and monk fruit, resulting in negligible amounts of sugar and only 4-8 grams of net carbs per pint.

If you prefer to make your own keto-friendly ice cream at home, there are also recipes available online that use similar sugar substitutes and keto-approved ingredients. Wholesome Yum, for instance, offers a recipe that is sweet, creamy, sugar-free, and has just 3.3 grams of net carbs per serving. The key component in this recipe is sugar-free sweetened condensed milk, which can be made by melting butter and mixing it with powdered sweetener and heavy cream.

Other keto-friendly ice cream recipes may include additional ingredients such as heavy cream, almond milk, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, or egg yolks to create different flavors and textures. It's important to note that the success of these recipes heavily relies on the type of sweetener used, as most sugar substitutes have a higher freezing point than sugar, resulting in rock-hard ice cream.

So, whether you choose to buy keto-friendly ice cream or make your own, there are plenty of delicious options available that fit within the constraints of a keto diet.

Taste and texture

The taste and texture of ice cream are determined by its ingredients, and the right combination of ingredients can make it keto-friendly.

The key to achieving a smooth and creamy texture in keto ice cream is to use the right sweetener. Most sugar substitutes have a higher freezing point than sugar, resulting in rock-hard ice cream. They also don't dissolve well, leading to a gritty texture. The best sweetener to use is powdered monk fruit allulose blend, as it dissolves effortlessly and keeps the ice cream soft and scoopable.

Heavy cream is another important ingredient in keto ice cream. It has less than 1 gram of carbohydrate per fluid ounce and provides a creamy texture. However, too much heavy cream can make the ice cream too dense and butter-like, so it is often combined with almond milk or coconut milk to lighten the texture.

Other ingredients that can be added to keto ice cream include butter, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and gelatin. Egg yolks give the ice cream a rich, custardy texture, while gelatin is used as a thickening agent to create an even creamier texture.

The right combination of ingredients can result in a keto-friendly ice cream that is smooth, creamy, and scoopable straight from the freezer. The taste and texture can be further enhanced by allowing the ice cream to soften at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Some popular keto-friendly ice cream brands include Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. These brands use sugar substitutes such as erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia to reduce the carb count while maintaining a sweet taste. They also add ingredients like chicory root, guar gum, and acacia gum to create a creamy texture and mouthfeel.

Overall, achieving the right taste and texture in keto ice cream requires a careful balance of ingredients, with a focus on low-carb sweeteners and creamy, high-fat components.

Making keto ice cream

Ingredients

• Heavy cream
• Sweetener (sugar-free)
• Xanthan gum
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut milk
• Cocoa powder
• Salt
• Butter
• Almond milk
• Erythritol
• Unsalted butter
• Powdered monk fruit allulose blend
• Unsweetened almond milk

Method

There are several ways to make keto ice cream, with or without an ice cream maker. Here is a simple method that does not require an ice cream maker:

• In a deep jar, add all the ingredients and gently mix.
• Using an immersion or stick mixer, blend the mixture until it has thickened and soft peaks form.
• Cover the jar and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, stirring every 40 minutes, to ensure it doesn't become too icy.
• Remove from the freezer and let sit for 15 minutes, before serving.

Tips

• Add xanthan gum to prevent the ice cream from becoming icy or crystallizing.
• Churn the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first couple of hours to ensure a smooth and creamy texture.
• Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to soften it.
• To make dairy-free ice cream, swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream.
• To make chocolate ice cream, add unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture.
• To make cookie dough ice cream, fold in crumbled keto cookie dough.
• To make strawberry ice cream, add sliced strawberries and, if desired, strawberry extract.

Frequently asked questions